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Wednesday, November 14, 2012

This Life of RV Boondocking Freedom Remains a Shining Joy.

Part of this post is simply RVing tips and part of it is something else all together. I just can't put the right name to that something else.

How do you spell Good Fortune? and does everyone recognize how genuinely double rectified fortunate I am?

We thought... I thought... that I had a bent rim, at least one bad and likely to have to be replaced axle and very possibly two. Very possible a repair bill in excess of a couple of Grand. Not to mention that the tires were getting ugly from the axle situation.

Considering the age of our rig along with the miles we've drug it, not to mention the sorts of "Roads"... or what passed for roads, a lot of those miles got made on, my cynical nature just automatically had me seeing another steep mountain to climb over.

Well, the bent rim turned out to be that the Tire was so badly damaged internally that it wobbled and heaved just like a bent rim would do. Not a thing wrong with the rim at all! and then, to top it off, Discount Tire there in Glendale, Arizona... made a 100% road hazard warranty on that tire! ... I'd completely forgot that I'd bought the road hazard deal... So I bought a second to replace the BADLY over aged spare... uh... 12 years IS a badly over aged Spare tire! Ain't it? :)

The spare was the Original spare from when the trailer was built! Never touched the ground! :) When I changed to all load range D's I just kept it as the spare and never thought much about it any more.

So... Tuesday night we pulled over and parked in the Parking lot of SpecTrac in Gilbert Arizona. Kind of a noisy night... but we had to be up at 5:30, 'cause those boys start working at 6:30... only... they got there at 6 in the a.m. !!! :)

We handed over the rig for their technician and went down the street and had a great Breakfast at the Black Bear Diner while we waited with another couple that were getting a brand spankin' New Humongous Diesel Pusher's suspension repaired! Brand new and it was delivered with the suspension jacked up... and the DEALER sent it here to SpecTrac to be fixed!

After breakfast we took a run over to Bass Pro to kill some more time and drool in the Papa's Toy box store! ;)

Well... by Noon they were done fixing on ours! A two axle trailer axle alignment and the tired old Jayco Eagle wasn't sitting cowhocked and bowlegged any more. Both axles had been knocked out of alignment, but the temper of the tubes was fine and they pulled 'em back into good alignment. Nothing else could be seen to be hurt so we got out of there for 'bout half what I'd been thinking the minimum would be! HooYa!

Except that they said the remaining tires were all bad/separating and should be replaced. I knew they were scrubbed, but the separating was new... But again... there was Another Discount Tire Store just down the road there in Mesa.

Only one of the remaining three (two on the ground and a spare) was a Discount Tire. It hadn't been road hazard damaged... so I was hoping that maybe they'd pro rate it. Their guy at the second shop... 100% warrantied THAT tire as well! Without me saying anything except; "I'll appreciate whatever you can do for me."

Needless to say I bought another "second" tire for the other replacement. Bottom line, I got a 4 for 2 tire deal in the past two days! Suh-Wheet!

But Wait! it gets better! As I walked out to the rig with the receipt it hit me, today's tire deal was exactly the same as Yesterday's... but it was $29 bucks cheaper! So I turned back inside to make sure that we hadn't forgot the road hazard on the new tires or something...

Ha Ha! Those tires went on SALE... TODAY!

But wait! it STILL gets better. All the old tires were load range D's... all the new tires are load range E's! Not only a heavier weight rating... but the old tires inflated to 65 pounds, these new ones get 80, so the harder tires should roll a little easier, suckin' up less diesel... and running cooler... they did seem to handle better than the old ones on our run out to Quartzsite through the afternoon.

BUT WAIT! It gets Better yet! :) Uh Huh... we got back into more of the Land I need.

We pulled into our favorite spot along Plomosa Road in Quartzsite minutes before sunset. The desert is quiet and empty. The silence is like laying down on the bank and drinking from a high mountain stream on a hot day. A rig a 1/4 mile to the east and another as far off to the west. The desert is quiet like a sweet blanket on my soul!

After all the commotion and turmoil of the past week... the serenity of this desert is a welcome respite.

Not a spectacular sunset this evening... but how could a fella ask for that too! Not spectacular ... but... combined with the sweet scent of Freedom in the spirit expanding space a man can savor on the desert... it had a smile creasing my face.

Freaking Awesome.

I believe this is likely the third winter I've made a version of this photograph. Something about that mountain, sitting off there maybe thirty miles away across the desert... it just quiets the noise in my head.

*A soft sunset in a favored Arizona Desert RV camp*

The axles are good to go. Four spanking new HD tires... A pair of Companies, Discount Tire and Spectrac did an awesome job of Customer service and competent work... If you need tires... I STRONGLY recommend Discount Tire. They have ALWAYS taken care of me... all over the country. Which is nice. Doesn't matter where you are... they take care of you, no matter where the tires were bought. Well, as long as you bought 'em from them! ;)

If you have RV axle/suspension "Issues" and are anywhere within range of SpecTrac in Gilbert, Arizona... They are THE people to take your rig to for repair. As far as I'm concerned, they did me a superb job!
... and... there just aren't very many shops where you can even get what they do done at all!

and now... Oh Lordy... another sweet Far Country camp.

Boondocking the Good Life doesn't begin to describe the life I'm living...

*Beauty is the same for any man, rich or poor*

But Wait! The day just wouldn't Stop being better!

*The rich man is the one who can see the beauty all around him*

Howiet said it in his comment yesterday and it bears repeating... often to yourself; "But then it seems like the Boss always makes sure the needs are met even if the wants aren't"

Maybe I'm not achieving all my "wants" but... my needs are met so Fine... maybe much of those pitiful wants aren't so important!

and then... and THEN... and THEN! a very special lady... She knows who she is :) sent us an offer of help Tuesday night that, like I told her, humbled me to tears. That we have earned such friendship, that a person would feel moved to make such an offer, is the greatest treasure we can possess.

We've run into difficulties and a few hard knocks along this road. Sometimes I let my frustrations pile up too high... But it might could just be that was all needed to make the contrast so bright and clear... to show just how glorious this life is... and how blessed we are with the friendships that makes each day Shining Times.

What a day you had!! I can picture you doing a whole lotta 'happy dancin'! Pretty pictures and humble tears...wow, you are gonna go places with those in yer pocket. Have a wonderful, well earned time in the Quartzite area. Perspective and perception are handy for dealing with frustration.

Patricia; axles aren't "Made" to be realigned. If they get bent out of shape they either have to be replaced... $800 bucks a piece or so , depending on the axle, and if you pay someone else to do the work... OR ... you re-align them by Bending them back... a tricky bit of mechanical art that VERY few shops know how to do or are equipped to do... Lucky for us I found that GOOD shop in Gilbert! ;)

Our Jayco Eagle is a 2001 277RBS.

"Not Good for Full Timing" is a Real relative term. I know folks full timing in Cabover Campers, one in a 12' Cargo Box trailer, Tents and every Variety of rig out there. A statement like that from someone is pretty much useless.

In My View, The Deal is this; What you have, and what you need is as different as the scenery we travel through. I'd listen to other folks reviews about the Construction Quality of a rig... and the "obstacles" that they ran into with different rigs... but plug that info into your Own perspective of things. What "They" see as an "Obstacle" Might could be something that you don't even take note of! ;)

For us it's been fine. I went Back to motorcycles in a BIG way after we'd already had this Jayco. Maybe something else would perform a lil' more convenient, but pure and simple, I can't afford the swap! :) so... with sunsets like that in country like this for my "yard"... I won't complain! :)

I am very happy for yall that the rapairs and tires worked out so good. I know we found one of those shope in Baton Rouge when we had to get one of my axles realigned. Did great work for a reasonable price.Love the pictures of Quartzite. Would love to get out there one day. Have a wonderful, restful time.